THE TRAMWAY REGULATIONS

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13435, 24 July 1911, Page 7

THE TRAMWAY REGULATIONS

CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. Business Taktn in Committee. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 24. A conference of local bodies was held in Wellington to-day to protest against the proposed tramway regulations. The ActingMayor of Wellington, Air J. Smith, are--dried, and 40 delegates were present. The chairman explained that the meeting was called for (he purpose of protesting against the suggested regulations, and had nt political significance, and that it was highly desirable the political aspect should not be allowed to enter into the proceedings. The local bodies desired to have nc undue interference with their rights and privileges and the running of their utilities, so that tramway enterprises would at least he enabled to earn interest on the monev invested in them. Air Kcast (Dunedin) moved that the business Ik* taken in committee, and Mi Hamel (Roslynj seconded, saying that the communication Ins borough had received was marked “confidential,'’ and asked for suggestions for amending the draft regulations. Air Booth (chairman of the Christchurch Tramways Board) agreed, and said the nature of the communication hw Ti :r.d had received was such that be :„id hi follow delegates could not take pail in a public discussion on the regulations, and that even if the business of the conference was to be made public they would still be debarred from taking part. Three delegates urged publicity. The Chairman said that he had written to the Government asking that the embargo of “confidence'' bo removed, but had got no reply, and ho then made the draft public. He thought the Government should have removed the embargo. Eventually the meeting decided by an overwhelming majority to sit in camera. As a result of the temper of delegates, it is probable that the public meeting of protest called for to-night will resolve itself into a purely local objection.